THK CROSS OF PEACE 69

I understand we are going to have some music You
are going to sing to us, gnadiges Fraulein ?

Ina von Menzel denied that she was going to sing Her
voice, she said, had broken like a cuckoo s in July It was
the effect of ersatz food m Berlin

It is only in the occupied territory that one gets real
food"

Gati&res implored her to sing

"I shall be vastly disappointed, he protested

"Oh, you re only shamming, Ina,' said her brother
"ftot so many excuses, young woman Show the French
Army that we may have lost the \var but we still keep our
heritage of song '

He played some strains on his accordion and looked over
at Ina with a smile

"I will sing very softly,' she told him * After all, we
do not want to arouse the household '

She sang very softly and very charmingly She sang
several of Schubert s songs, of which the most enchanting, to
the mind of a French officer, was Hetdenrbslein And then, as
a compliment which he appreciated, she sang one of the old
French chansons which had been made famous again by
Yvette Guilbert It was called Tout doux, tout doux "

"It is exquisite," said Captain Gata&res "This is a very
great pleasure to me "

He was moved with emotion It seemed to him wonderful
and touching that this German girl should sing the old songs
of France to the accompaniment of her brother sitting on his
bed

His mind travelled to his house in Avagnon where fas
mother, perhaps at this very moment, was writing him a letter
urging fa™ to be severe with the German population and not
to be duped by their alleged grievances "They must be
punished for all their crimes," she had written in one letter
"You are too chivalrous, my dear Annand Chivalry is
misplaced among a people who believe only in brutality **